Amateur RadioData Networking in Event/Incident Communications
SPECS Annual MeetingJan 31, 2015
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Revised: 31-Jan-2015
Why Do We Care About Data Networking?
• Whether it’s audio from a microphone or data from a PC going in …
• … and whether it’s analog modulation or digital modulation coming out …
• … and whether we track it manually on a pad of paper …
• … or automatically via a network of computers …
• It’s all amateur radio
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Why Do We Care About Data Networking?
• In SPECS, we focus on providing communications services during a disaster or other communications emergency
• What services?
• The ones that people depend on
• So how important are data services?
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Data Eclipsed Voice Traffic 15 Years Ago
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U.S. Service Penetration
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Year Fixed Tel Line Mobile Line Internet User Source
2005 59% 68% 68% ITU
2006 56% 76% 69% ITU
2007 52% 83% 75% ITU
2008 53% 85% 74% ITU
2009 49% 89% 71% ITU
2010 48% 91% 72% ITU
2011 46% 94% 70% ITU
2012 43% 96% 79% ITU
2013 42% 96% 84% ITU
2014 87% PEW
Mobile Lines Are Not Just For Voice …
• 4G LTE mobile data communications• Multi‐Mbps up/download• Personal WiFi hotspot
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Now, > 60% of U.S. Adults Have Smart Phones
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Mobile Data Surpassed Voice in 2009
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Source: Akamai & Ericsson
And Data Applications Continue to Grow
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i.e. Phone Calls
WiFi is Very Popular
• WiFi routers in homes, offices, coffee shops, …• 100+ Mbps over limited range• 2012: 61% of U.S. homes have WiFi (Strategy Analytics)
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In Other Words, the General Public …
• Is a heavy user of to Internet connectivity
• Is accustomed to WiFi at home, at coffee houses, on planes, trains, automobiles, …
• Is accustomed to MOBILE Internet connectivity
• Uses MUCH more data than voice, even on their phones!
• So, overall, the demand for data services is very high
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But, the General Public …
• Are consumers of Internet services
• They are dependent on the public network infrastructure– The telephone, cable, or WiFi network service provider
• They are dependent on the application service provider– The PBX or repeater operator or the web site/app provider
• So, when data services break, there’s not much they can do
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So, What Can Amateur Radio Do?
• We build communications networks and applications
• We make them work “When All Else Fails”
• We’ve got voice covered pretty well– Lots of repeaters; ubiquitous HTs; message passing procedures
• But demand for data services today far exceeds the demand for voice services– And yet the number of hams prepared to provide data services is
much lower than for voice services
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So, What Can Amateur Radio Do?
1. We can make more hams data capable– Equipment, training, practice, …
2. We can build new, more advanced data solutions – … for use “When All Else Fails” (no dependence on public Internet)– … but also for public service events (great for practice)
3. We can recruit new, younger hams– It’s hi‐tech, it’s exciting, it’s aligned with their interests
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So what data services can we offer?
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NARROWBAND DATASTATISTICS COLLECTION / DISPLAY
Examples: Races/Marathons; Mountain View CERT Damage Assessment
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Neighborhood Information Gathering
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Field Data Station
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Wes Freeman, KG6POV
Amateur Radio Application: PacFORMS
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Amateur Radio Application: Outpost
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Amateur Radio Application: MTV DA Summary
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Projected onto a screen in the Mountain View EOC
NARROWBAND DATAMOBILE ASSET TRACKING
Examples: Bike Race; Los Altos Festival of Lights Parade
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Typical APRS Connectivity to the Internet
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TNC RadioGPSReceiver
Internet
Radio
General Public Accesshttp://aprs.fi
APRS iGate
Tracker
Integrated APRS Trackers
• Integrated: Radio / GPS / APRS TNC
• Portable: for individuals– Yaesu VX‐8DR– Byonics Micro‐Track All‐In‐One– Others …
• Mobile: for vehicles– Kenwood TM‐D710G– Byonics Micro‐Trak Ready‐To‐Go– Others …
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ByonicsMicro-Track RTG
ByonicsMicro-Track AIO
YaesuVX-8DR
KenwoodTM-D710G
KenwoodTH-D72
Portable APRS Tracking Solution for Events
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Internet
Roll-UpJ-Pole
&Mast
Radio & TNC
TrackersOn Vehicles
TrackersOn Rovers
Public and/orEvent Officials
Use:http://aprs.fi
APRSdroidFor Hams
HotspotAPRSISCE
If Available
Net Control Station, Info Booth, etc.
FASTER NARROWBAND DATA56KBPS – 100KBPS RADIO
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Wide Area Coverage Plus (not vs.) Speed
• County‐wide coverage is critical for disasters– Need to operate from anywhere – Line of site issues in cities without tall buildings, trees
• 1200 baud packet provides coverage but limits functionality– 100 kB files not really practical to send (it would take too long)
• Broadband WiFi provides functionality but has coverage limits– Line of site issues, power limitations, …
• New radio options are on the horizon (56kbps+ … 100kbps+) • Would allow
– County‐wide access; no line of site issues (440 MHz)– Simple antennas (role‐up J‐pole)– Standard applications (e‐mail clients, web pages, …)
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2014 Backbone Connectivity
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Next steps:1. Move to high speed backbone as main BBS-to-BBS
transport; 70cm network as backup2. Add links to high-speed backbone to become fully
redundant; 70cm can be repurposed
High Speed 440 Access in the Future?
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High Speed Backbone
70 cm Backbone
BBS NetworkBBS Network
AMPRnetAMPRnet
Internet E mailInternet E-mail
BBS1.25m Access
1200 baud
56kbps+ FEC Radios
2m Access1200 baud
70cm Access56kbps
…
Redundant High Speed Backbone
BBS NetworkBBS Network
AMPRnetAMPRnet
Internet E mailInternet E-mail
BBS1.25m Access
1200 baud
2m Access1200 baud …
Redundancy
Example: NW Digital Radio UDRX‐440
• 25W, 70 cm Transceiver• Linux platform• Browser interface• 1 Ethernet• 4 USB
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BROADBAND MESHEVENT CONNECTIVITY
Example: Art & Wine Festival; SCCo County‐wide Drill
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Voice/Video Solution for Public Service Event
• Provide easy‐to‐use services to public and event workers– Info booths, start/finish line, press office, first aid station, …
• Monitor conditions at entrance, start/finish line, …• Independent of commercial power or network
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PSTN
If AvailableIP PBXGate / Ticket Booth
Info Booth
Info Kiosk Operations Center
MeshNetwork
Web/Video Server
Mesh Networking Experimentation
• 2014 SCCo ARES/RACES County‐wide Exercise
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BROADBAND VOIPREPEATER LINKING
Example: WB6ECE voted/simulcast system
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Analog Voice Repeater Linking Options
• Typical Analog Link
• Digital Link (example: WB6ECE voted/simulcast system)
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Repeater Link Radio Link Radio Repeater420 MHz
Analog FMPart 97
Repeater VoIP VoIP Repeater
5 GHzWiFi
Part 97
802.11 (WiFi): Part 15 vs. Part 97
• 2.4 GHz
• 5 GHz
• Off‐the‐shelf 802.11 gear is readily available and can be used under Part 97 (higher power, no encryption, no 3rd party)
• Or, the same gear can be used under Part 15 rules (encryption, 3rd party, but lower power)
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5180 – 5825 MHz (Centers)
5650 – 5925 MHz
2412 – 2472 MHz (Centers)
2390 – 2450 MHz
Part 15
Part 15
Part 97
Part 97
BROADBAND FIXED SITE CONNECTIVITY
Example: Cupertino ARKnet
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Cupertino ARKnet Purpose
• Connect ARKs, key city locations and served agencies via a broadband data network
• Key applications:– Local hot spot for data exchange– Telephones (VoIP) at ARKs for ARK staff, possibly elsewhere for public– Status and information dissemination (web access)– Inventory management (shared file access)– Video surveillance
• Low cost vs. commercial service provider solutions– Off‐the‐shelf WiFi components– Volunteer labor
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Pilot Coverage
HYDE
EOC
MONTEBELLO
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Montebello Site
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Hyde ARK site
Demo… live, from Hyde Ark!
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Future Sites… ARKs, City Sites, Served Agencies
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Broadband Line of Sight Issues
• Line of sight can be a real problem for 802.11 networks– Example: Cupertino ARK Project
• Even more of a problem with ad hoc, temporary nets
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Cupertino ARKnet Status
• Three site pilot was successful– Established connectivity– Showed examples of likely applications
• Approved for next phase (analysis)– Analyze and plan how they will cover the other sites– Some sites are much further away than the pilot locations– Some sites have line‐of‐site issues– Power/margin/coverage investigation
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Demo Diagramand Explanation
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ARKnet Demo
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ARK Location
Directional AntennaSector Antenna
(demo=Omni)
Central Location
Phone ServerClient PC
File Server
5.8 GHz5.8 GHz
Streaming Video
Telephone (VoIP)
File Sharing/Live Update
Demo Applications:
Conclusions
• Public has a huge appetite for data• Technology is affordable and available• Lots of solutions ideal for amateur radio deployment• Lots to learn / experiment / develop / spur interest
– Applications: information collection, presentation, … – New traffic types: VoIP, message traffic, telemetry, statistics, video, …– IP Networking: addressing, switching, routing, security, …– MHz and GHz radio: antennas, power, propagation, …
• Recruiting tool for younger, hi‐tech hams
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Where Can You Contribute?
• What do you (want to) know?• Applications
– User software– Operating system, management
• Access– Client equipment – Training, demo, user mentor, docs
• Infrastructure– Site work (rack, tower, …)– Design, implementation, monitoring
of: RF TX/RX, antenna, IP network, power: design, implementation, monitoring
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Access
Infrastructure
Application
Thank You
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